A UNESCO site in its entirety, Cilento is a vast and varied area in the southernmost part of Campania, Italy. Often overshadowed by its showy neighbors, Naples and the Amalfi Coast, the underrated Cilento enjoys more relaxed rhythms.
Beyond its most popular attraction, the Ancient Greek town of Paestum, there are many natural and man-made wonders that await you. If you’ve never heard of Cilento, its 80 towns, a national park, archaeological sites, mountains, hills, and miles of beaches are what you’ve been missing out on. Not to mention the food and lifestyle that grant its residents near immortality—people here live much longer than in the rest of Italy. On average, 0.3 inhabitants out of 10 are over 100 years old.
Cilento is the home of the famed Mediterranean Diet that promises health and well-being without compromising on the life-affirming pleasures of delicious dining. The idea of “limiting carb intake” doesn’t exist here—bread and pasta are staples, as are legumes, fruit, and vegetables from one’s own sun-drenched garden. People in these remote villages take things slow—part of Cilento’s charm is the lack of mass tourism, so be respectful of this gentler approach to living.
You could easily spend a month visiting every town, trekking every path, and enjoying every beach. If your vacation time is a little more limited, here’s what to prioritize on your first (but certainly not your last…) visit to Cilento.
Discover the Best Preserved Greek Temples in Paestum
Almost 3000 years ago, the Ancient Greeks arrived on these shores. They populated the area with their ideas and customs, shaping the land and culture in their image. The Greek colony Poseidonia, later called Paestum, is the only surviving example of a Magna-Grecian town. Its three magnificent Greek temples are among the best preserved in the world.
The highlights are the two temples dedicated to Hera and a smaller one dedicated to Athena, which were built in the Doric style in the fifth century BCE. You can also walk in the ruins of a Roman amphitheater, thermal baths, and various shops and houses. The open-air archaeological park of Paestum is massive, but the experience is intimate: while carefully curated, it looks wild and unexplored, and you get to walk freely around the ruins. Compared to the ever-crowded Pompeii, this feels isolated and nestled in an idyllic landscape—even in high season, you may not encounter anyone else on your tour.
In summer, it’s best to walk the park in the early morning and then head inside the covered museum to escape the hot sun. There you can admire world-famous images like the Tomb of the Diver, as well as relics from Ancient Greek and Roman times.
For lunch, avoid the cafes and restaurants next to the site and instead drive 30 minutes north to Battipaglia. Pick a caseificio (cheese-making factory) and try their mozzarella di bufala DOP, as well as an array of various local dairy products.
Visit Europe’s Biggest Charterhouse in Padula
Venture to the inland town of Padula, in the heart of Vallo di Diano, and visit the largest charterhouse monastery in Europe, Certosa di San Lorenzo, first built in 1306.
Don’t be fooled by its unassuming exterior—inside, the Certosa is a syncretism of styles, a triumph of Baroque juxtaposed against austere monastic spaces. The charterhouse’s structure is based on the typical concept of a monastery as a self-sufficient city, but the Certosa’s ornaments were embellished time and again over the centuries. The church, chapels, treasury, and dining halls testify to the splendor the Certosa once had, contrasting starkly with the bare, tiny cells the Carthusian monks would sleep in.
You won’t run into any monks now, as the Certosa di Padula operates as a museum, but you can still trace the steps they would take on their daily schedule. Pause in the Chiostro Grande, the massive cloister (104 x 149 meters) that took nearly two centuries to complete. The view is especially evocative because the town of Padula on top of the hill seems to dominate the Certosa.
The monastery also houses a museum with a collection of tombs, vases, funerary items, columns, and other items hosting archaeological findings from Vallo di Diano, dating back to the tenth century BCE until the sixth century CE.
Eat Local Produce and Experience the Mediterranean Diet
The food that grows in Cilento is unlike any other—it’s as close to an immortality elixir as you’re likely to get. American physiologist Ancel Keys, creator of the K-ration during WWII, spent most of his life studying the habits of Cilentani and codified the Mediterranean Diet here in Cilento.
The “diet” is less about excluding certain foods and more about preferring some over others for reasons of availability. When in Cilento, eat as the Cilentani do: savor their local produce.
Enjoy Cilento’s typical pasta, the rigorously handmade fusilli cilentani (a type of elongated fusilli). The dish can come with a meat sauce or accompanied by local vegetables such as tomatoes, zucchini, or eggplant. Make sure to taste the white artichokes of Pertosa, either as a side, in a salad, or as a spread.
You can’t leave without trying local charcuteries like their dried seasoned sausage or the soppressata di Gioi, along with famous dairy products mozzarella and ricotta di bufala, and the wide variety of caciocavallo cheeses. Pair them with homemade jams and marmalades made from local produce, like Cilento’s white fig DOP, the sweetest in Italy. Use Cilento extra virgin olive oil generously and always add spices and herbs to your dishes—ask for polvere di peperone crusco (dust obtained from grinding a local pepper), the maroon seasoning sprinkled onto vegetable dishes, which can be sweet or hot. Sprinkle rosemary onto your meat and potatoes; it’s believed to be the key ingredient to longevity.
The Mediterranean Diet is not just about food but forms part of the lifestyle of Cilento. It is reflected in how these foods are cultivated and consumed ethically and sustainably. In 2010, the Mediterranean Diet became protected by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage, and Cilento is the perfect place to experience its significance.
Explore the Pertosa Caves
The **Grotte (caves) of Pertosa-Auletta** are the only place in Italy where you can sail along an underground river. These dark and deep caverns resemble the settings of a horror movie, softened only by colorful artificial lights. The temperature significantly drops underground, so bring something warmer than your summer outfit and be prepared for slippery stone floors.
A guided tour leads you on a boat ride along the underground river before you disembark to walk amidst thousands of stalactites and stalagmites forming incredible shapes, and discover the remains of civilizations that are four thousand years old.
Human presence has been documented in Cilento for half a million years, and the Grotte di Pertosa show signs of habitation since the mid-Bronze Age, with remains from prehistoric settlements and even traces of what was briefly and erroneously considered a different species of Paleolithic hominid.
Enjoy Cilento’s Sandy Beaches
The beaches of Cilento stretch along a coastal strip of over 100 kilometers, facing emerald waters between the Gulf of Salerno and the Gulf of Policastro. Along the coast are 16 towns and myriad smaller hamlets where you can enjoy the seaside with little fear of overcrowded cafes and restaurants.
If you’re a fan of sandy beaches or traveling with children, consider the towns of Agropoli and Marina di Ascea for their golden-colored sand and ample space for kids to play. Further south, the picturesque Punta Licosa offers crystalline waters and white sand, steeped in the mythology of sirens. Proceed south to Acciaroli, the enchanting village that inspired Ernest Hemingway’s *The Old Man and the Sea.*
For history lovers, the archaeological site of Velia offers a glimpse into ancient city life and theater shows, being the birthplace of the Greek philosopher Parmenides. If you’re also visiting Paestum, one ticket grants access to both sites.
Don’t miss the natural beauty of the protected beaches of Santa Maria di Castellabate and Costa degli Infreschi e della Masseta, or the marine grottoes along the coast of Palinuro and Marina di Camerota.
How to Get to Cilento
Cilento is best explored by car—public transportation options are limited inland. The closest airport is Naples Airport; from there, it’s a couple of hours’ drive depending on which part of Cilento you want to reach first. The new Salerno-Costa d’Amalfi Airport, just outside Salerno, is expected to open for commercial flights in 2024, making access even easier.
For a lovely local experience, consider staying in Padula at a family-run B&B farm. This kind of accommodation offers authentic, filling dinners based on local produce, contributing to a unique and memorable experience.
Ultimately, whether you prefer to relax by sandy beaches or explore ancient ruins, Cilento offers a little something for everyone, making it the ideal vacation spot for those seeking both adventure and tranquility.
